Your Turn

For her turning left from the driveway was routine,
Then keeping the car completely in the right lane
Except for a tiny bit of the left front bumper.
Done regularly without incident or thought.

Coffee cup in its holder
Wondering about her pending retirement ---
Until the truck hit,
Dragging car and passenger 40 feet.

An instant of quiet
When all could be a dream.

Sounds, like rushing feet,
And smoke wistfully entering space,
Demand she return.
She would be late reaching home.

Screeching brakes, car doors slamming.
Rosemary wonders if she is hurt.
Her neck feels out of place.
What to do?

Cautious, she must be very careful
Not to do further damage.
" Here's the truck driver,
Slowly, opening my door” she thinks.

Replying to his question,
Words and ideas
Come to the surface.
Her mind is working.

Pain, had waited patiently,
But now assails her neck and foot.
“Oh god, my neck, my neck”,
She screams.

Scared, very scared,
She holds her body rigid,
Thinking she might be dying.
Her eyes fill with tears.

A doctor stands beside her bed.
“It doesn’t look too bad” he says.
“Should have you home, in a neck brace,
By Saturday”.

Drifting in and out of wakefulness.
Hearing from a great distance,
She’ll be staying home for a while.

I’ve made that same turn
Keep most of my car inside the right lane.
I’ll do something like that tomorrow ---and tomorrow.
It will be years before it’s my turn --- right?